During my pregnancy, I've received some surprising advice from people. I guess it's par for the course - birth is a rite of passage. Once you've had a child, you can never go back. They're just trying to help!

Having worked with thousands of people at a crossroads in life, it's clear to me that you 'leap the way you live'. Some people see change as a blessing, others as a curse. My calling as a psychic reader has allowed me to intimately witness what happens when our dreams and the Universe collide.

People rarely consult me unless they're about to embark on a huge transition*, which is partly due to my pricing, but also to my intention as a numerologist and palmreader. *Most clients who come in are close to a lifepath turning point (e.g. as a 29/11 lifepath, my turning point was 29 years old), or at the start or end of a 9 year Personal Cycle. Find Your Lifepath and Personal Year.

As a Master 11 lifepath (The Spiritual Messenger), I came here for double evolution. Think of me like a volcano scientist or weather watcher - I'm attracted to major events, because I believe our true character comes out during a crisis or under the spotlight. No wonder I studied Environmental Science, almost died in the 2004 tsunami, and am attracted to VIPs (see their readings).

Few people realise that being a psychic is a 24/7 lifestyle, at least for me. I compare it to training for the Olympics. Between sessions, I do daily work on myself - journalling, meditation, yoga, chanting, and I'm extremely careful about what I eat and drink. I believe that 'you become the sum of your habits', and practice gratitude and manifestation from morning to night.

So when Kris and I decided to fall pregnant, I knew our path might be less than conventional! Here are 6 Things I've Learned About Conscious Birth, Life & Death

1) People who have 'good beginnings' tend to be more confident and creative. They often have more kids, and/ or the courage to birth their ideas ('spirit babies') into the world. They see self-replication as a natural extension of being human. So it pays to create a nourishing birth, and to seek support as a parent.

Of course, this is easier said than done. If you've already had a traumatic entry this lifetime, or a difficult childbirth experience, you may need healing post-event.

Perhaps you could look into therapies like past life regression, hypnosis, counselling or debriefing with a doula, midwife or therapist. See my list of preferred healers. 2) We choose our families and the basic experiences of our life, well before we incarnate. Based on working with countless people, and investigating my own spiritual records, I believe that you are no accident (whatever your parents told you!). You only need to read some of the many books on past lives, Spirit Babies (my favourite book on conception and healing fertility issues), or to study numerology to see that life has a Divine Order.

People often see 11:11 and number sequences (e.g. 111, 222, 333) when they're ready to wake up to their life purpose and the true/ loving nature of the Universe.

3) Many people think of birth as a death, which is why they're so scared of it. So it's important to find cheerleaders!

I admit, as soon as I fell pregnant with Forrest Bump, my brain went into overdrive. I had nightmares about the baby getting stuck, or both of us passing away. After months of digging, I realised some of these fears were from past lives. Other insecurities were beliefs I'd absorbed from other people and the media.

Having made the leap from a 9-5 career to self-employment in 2011 (so I could start a family one day), I couldn't help but notice the similarities to falling pregnant. When I first announced I was going into psychic readings, many people told me that it would 'hurt' my career, and I'd be safer staying put.

At the time, I observed that none of these well-meaning observers had ever run a business, and made the decision that from that point on, I would only listen to people who had the results I wanted in life. Ruthless? Probably. Effective? You betcha.

That's why I've spent most of my pregnancy talking to people who have happy, healthy kids and see motherhood as personal growth, rather than 'the end of the world'.

4) You birth the way you conceive, and labour the way you live. This is an idea from Hypnobirthing and childbirth educators such as Ina May Gaskin.

As some of you know, I used diet, Kundalini yoga, visualisation and counselling to fall pregnant.

I also timed the birth to coincide with my 1 Personal Year (which starts today, on my birthday). So it was no surprise that Forrest's initial due date was 22/2 (my specialty is repeating numbers). Find Your Personal Year.

I prayed for Forrest before he came in, and was delighted when his Spirit appeared on my bed, shortly before we fell pregnant (he told me off for being late!) As crazy as it may sound, I've talked to Forrest during the entire pregnancy and he frequently kicks or rolls in response. He's also telepathed to let me know what to eat, or what treatments to seek (e.g. chiropractic adjustments, crystal healings, and Japanese acupuncture).

Although it's true I haven't given birth yet, I am hoping our close relationship will continue during labour, and for the rest of our lives.

As much as I'd like a 100% drug and intervention free birth, I am open to life-saving assistance. You labour the way you live, and I am a realist (once a scientist, always a scientist). Extreme, black-or-white thinking is disempowering. As British philosopher Neil Kramer says "learn the art of depolarisation and nothing can stop you".

If I genuinely need help during labour, to open my body and mind, or to have more stories to blog about (!), then so be it.

5) In a world of easy shortcuts, it takes effort to stay conscious. Ever noticed that, if you are driving a car and your passengers fall asleep, you get drowsy too? Well, life is like that. It's easy to get hypnotised by society - there's a lot of pressure to conform, worry over money/ relationships/ looks and to give away your power.

Some people have said to me 'you never know what kind of children you'll get', or 'just do what the doctor tells you - they know best'. I don't agree. As someone who makes predictions for a living, and who tunes into their body constantly, I believe we co-create our reality with Source.

I also believe that 'the quality of your life is determined by the quality of the questions you ask yourself'.

I've had plenty of accurate and inaccurate medical diagnoses in this lifetime - always reflecting my own clarity at the time. Although I love reading up on health and seeing practitioners, there's no way someone could understand me better than myself - after all, I've been in this body 24/7 for 35 years.

6) Letting go is letting yourself grow. When we think about the future, we feel fear. When we think about the past, we feel regret or guilt. It's only in the now that peace is possible. At some point, everyone has the thought 'what happens when I die?'. It's those who vigorously pursue the answer who find enlightenment.

BTW, have you noticed the correlation between breathing and stress? People who can't let go often have shallow breathing, or don't exhale fully (that's why yoga is such a lifesaver!)

There's a saying 'the race is won before it's started', which reflects the importance of mindset and preparation before any challenge in life.

To be honest, I don't know exactly what will happen at Forrest's birth. What I do know is that I'm going to use everything I have ever learned in this (and previous lifetimes), to stay centred.

I believe that growth is more important than comfort. Being psychic is not about avoiding pain, but keeping yourself open to spiritual lessons.

So I look forward to writing to you again once Forrest is born, with a new understanding of what it means to surrender and receive...

A final note - using Pythagorean numerology (see the system):CONSCIOUS = 37/10, the same vibration as SPIRIT

DEATH = 20/2, the same vibration as TIDE. The second chakra (Sacral) is all about emotions and going with the flow.

BIRTH = 30/3, the same vibration as HAPPY and PASSION. The third chakra (Solar Plexus) contains our personal power and ideas.

LIFE = 23/5, the same vibration as LION and KING. The fifth chakra (Throat) represents truth, choice and flexibility.

Life (23) is all about Death (2) and Birth (3). When you live consciously, you honour your Spiritual Self. Death allows us to relax and renew, just as birth gives us a chance to experience the thrill of self-expression. To live is a choice - you can roar your way through the jungle, or let others rule you! What will you choose today?

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